Joint construction for panels



Nov. 27, 1951 L. B. GREEN 2,576,296

JO INT CONSTRUCTION FOR PANELS Filed Sept. 25, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 z0/5, 11A 1'2 14 1 w INVENTOR. L55 5. GREEN firms/vars Nov. 27, 1951 B.GREEN 2,576,296

' JOINT-CONSTRUCTION FOR PANELS Fi-led Sept. 25, 1947 v 2 SHEETSSHEET 2HrToE/YEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 2,576,296some ooissiitUcrIoN FOR PANELS Lee B. Green, Lakewood, Ohio ApplicationSeptember 25, 1947. serial No. 776,040

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates to joint constructions for connectingpanels, metal sheets, wall memhers or the like. and as one of itsobjects aims to provide a novel form of joint for this purpose which canbe economically produced, will be very strong and durable. and willresult in the connected members being held tightly together with theirouter surfaces presenting a, desired sub-'- stantially smooth or flushcondition,

\Another. object of the present invention is to provide an improvedjoint of the character mentioned in which the adjoining members orportions to be connected have hook elements thereon and are connected bymeans of a locking strip engaging such hook elements.v h I --A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a joint of the kind mentioned inwhich the hook elements are carried by overlapping edge portions or theadjoining members and the locking 'striplies between the overlappingedge portions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved jointconstruction of this character in which the locking strip engages in therecesses of the hook elements of the overlapping edge portions and actsto 'spread'the hook eleiiients apart so as to draw the adjoining has r mYet another object is to provide an improved joint of the charactermentioned in which the adjo'ihingjmernbers lie substantially in a common3 plane and the hook-carrying portion or one or the members is offsetinwardly from such common plane to form a shoulder and the more carryingportion of the other member overlaps the o fi-set portion and is urgedinto engagement with the shoulder by the spreading action or the lockingstrip.

:Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed desedation and the accompanying sheets of drawmes inwhich:

Fig. l is a sectional perspective view showing the improved joint-beingused to connect a pair of panels:

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view showing the same panels inadjacent relation but disconhected mm each other so as to fiirtherillustrate the construction of the joint;

Fig-3 is a perspective view showing the improved joint being used 't'o='conn'e"ct adjacent wall members of a cabme't:

5 is a sectionalperspective' view illustrating the joint of Figs. 3 and4 on a larger scale;

Figs. 6 and 'i are perspective sectional views 'showifig the connectedmembers of Fig; 5in spread-apart relation; Fig. 8 is a perspectivesectional view showing the locking strip of Fig. 5 in detached relation;

Fig. 9 is a perspective sectional view taken through a modified form ofthe improved joint;

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective sectional views showing the connectedmembers of Fig. 9 spread apart relation; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective sectional view showing the loeking strip ofFig. 9 in detached relation.

As illustrative ofone important use for the improved joint of thisinvention, Fig. 1 of the drawings shows a pair of panels 10 and IIhaving their edges Illa and Ho in substantially meeting relation andconnected together by means of the improved joint 12. The panels [0 andH may be or the kind used in building construction for forming walls orceilings and are here shown as disposed substantially in a common plane.

Although the panels l6 and H may be of any desired specificconstruction, they are shown in the drawings as comprising a heatinsulating and sound deadening body or slab i3 and surface sheets 14 andI5, preferably of sheet metal, connected to the slab and located onopposite sides thereof. The surface sheets I4 and [5 may extend over theentire area of the two side sur+ faces of the panel, or they can bestrip-like sheets of appropriate width which extend only along the edgesof the panel; The body or slab 13 can be of any specific constructionsuitable for panel's of this type and may comprise a slab of bondedfibrous material of the kind used in wall board, or may be a slab ofhoney-comb cellular paper construction. The surface sheets l4. and. I5can be connected to the slab 13 by the use of suitable Ifasteners or bymeans of glue.

When the structure .is of substantial thickness, as provided by thepanels l0 and H shown in Fig. 1, the improved joint 12 is used on bothsides thereof and since these two joints are identical in constructionit will be necessary to describe only one of them. It will be noted alsothat the edges of the panels 10 and H are of identical construction butare reversed with respect to each other so that the edge of one panelwill have a desired cooperating fit with the edge of the adjacent panel.

The joint I2 is formed by the cooperating lorrtgitudinal edge portionsH5 and I! of the surface sheets 14 and i5, and a locking strip 18. Fig.1 of the drawings shows the joint 12 in assembled other.

relation for holding the panels 10 and II in connected relation, andFig. 2 shows the same joint in its disengaged relation with the panelsslightly separated and with the locking strip l8 removed, so as to moreclearly illustrate the detailed construction of the joint.

As shown in Fig. 2, the longitudinal edge portion l6 of the sheet I4 isoffset inwardly from the plane of the sheet so as to provide alongitudinal shoulder [9 at a point spaced rearwardly or inwardly fromthe edge of the slab I3 of the panel. The portion I6 is also provided atthe free edge thereof with a longitudinal hook element 20. This hookelement can be formed by bending the extreme edge portion of the sheet[4 in a reverse direction or doubled relation so as to provide the hookrecess 20a and the tongue or flange 20b adjacent thereto. The slab I3 ofthe panel can be provided with a longitudinal recess or rabbet 2| toaccommodate the offset longitudinal edge portion is. The hook element 20is preferably located so that the outer end or external bead 20c thereoflies substantially flush with the edge of the slab |3..

;Th e'edge portion ll of the surface sheet 15 projects outwardly inoverhanging relation to the edge of the slab l3 and carries alongitudinal hook element 22 which is generally similar to the hookelement 20 of the sheet 14. The hook element 22 can be formed by bendingthe free edge of the portion I! in a reverse or doubled relation so asto provide the longitudinal hook recess 22a and the longitudinal tongueor flange 22b adjacent thereto. The overhanging edge portion l! is of alength such that when the panel edges Illa and Ho are brought intosubstantially meeting or abutting relation, this overhanging portion ofone panel will overlap the offset portion [6 of 'the other panel and theend or external bead 220 of the hook element 22 will substantiallyengage the longitudinal shoulder IS.

The locking strip l8 is an elongated member made of sheet metal, or thelike, and comprising a generally flat strip-like body 24 and alongitudinal hook element 25 carried thereby. The body-2 of the lockingstrip can be formed by doubling one longitudinal edge portion of a sheetmetal blank upon itself, as shown in Fig. 2, and

the hook element 25 can be'formed by reversely bending the opposite edgeportion of the sheet metal blank so that the hook element thus formedextends along and overlies one edge of the flat body 24'. The hookelement 25, as thus formed,

includes a longitudinal hook recess 25a and a longitudinal tongue orflange 25b adjacent thereto." The locking strip I8 thus has'the hookelement 25 extending along one of its side edges and a flat bead orflange |8a extending along its other side edge.

When the panels I and II are brought into the substantially meetingrelation explained above and shown in Fig. l, with the edge portion llof the sheet l5 overlapping the oifset edge portion. 16 of sheet I4, itwill be observed that the hook elements 20 and 22 then lie between theoverlapped portions I6 and IT and that the recesse's20a and 22a of thesehook elements face each other, that is to say, open towards each Theoverlapping portions l6 and I1 and the recesses of the hook elements 29and 22 now define a space of a shape to snugly accommodate the lockingstrip l8. To complete the joint I2 the locking strip I8 is insertedendwise into this space so as to assume the position shown in Fig. 1.The insertion of the locking strip can be accomplished either by hand,or by the use of an appropriate tool designed for this purpose.

When the locking strip I8 has been inserted, as mentioned above, thelongitudinal edge or flange 18a thereof engages in the recess 22a of thehook element 22 and the hook element 25 of the strip engages the hookelement 20 of the sheet M. In the engagement produced between the hookelements 20 and 25, the flange 20b of the hook element 20 engages in thehook recess 25a of the hook element 25 and the flange 25b of the latterengages in the hook recess 20a. When the locking strip occupies thisposition it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the strip acts to hold thehook elements 20 and 22 of the sheets l4 and [5 in a spread-apartrelation, but since the portions I6 and l! are in an overlappingrelation this spreading-apart of the hook elements 20 and 22 results inthe panel edges 10a and I la being pulled together by the action of thelocking strip.

. It will also be observed that when the locking strip [8 has been thusinserted it lies between the overlapping sheet portions [6 and I1 and isconcealed and confined thereby so that it will form a strong connectionbetween the sheet members H and I5 and between the panels 10 and H, ofwhich these sheet members form a part. It should be observed, also, thatwhen the locking strip 18 has been inserted to complete the joint I2,the external bead 2200f the hook element 22 will be substantially inengagement with the shoulder-l9 of the plate I4 and the plate l5,including the overhanging edge portion l l thereof, will occupy a smoothor flush relationship with respect to the plate H.

The joint l2 thus formed provides a strong connection between the panelsIn and H and entirely eliminates the need for the screws or otherfastening members of this kind which have been used heretofore betweenadjacent panels. It will .also be seen that the use of the joint l2 forconnecting the panels l0 and II results in a wall construction in whichthe insulating filling orslab 13 of the panels is substantiallycontinuous between adjacent panels and in which all gaps and surfaceirregularities at the panel joints are eliminated. It should also beexplained that if it becomes necessary or desirable to disconnect thepanels llland H from each other, the joints l2 can be readily disengagedby simply withdrawing the locking strips l8 therefrom. As

improved joint can be embodied in metal cabinets, containers, metalfurniture and like products of manufacture. The joint 21. of Fig. 5differs from the joint l2 described above only because the lockingstrip28 is of a somewhat different cross-sectional shape. Fig. 3 shows ametal cabinet or chest 3!] which can be used in connection with thestoring of refrigerated foods, and

the like. The cabinet 38; is a box-like structure having uprightside-and end walls 3|, 32, 33 and .34 which are portions of a singlemetal sheet which is bent to aquadrangular shape so. that its ends formadjacent wall portions 35 and 36 at the rear of the cabinet. The cabinet3llmay also include atherr'nally. insulated hinged cover or lid 3'!affording access to the storage-chamber andaremov'able panel or cover'38'located in the front wall 3! and affording access to a machinecompartment.

The adjacent wall portions 335 and 96 are connected by the joint 27which extends in vertical relation at a suitable point in the rear wall92. The side and end walls can be provided adjacent the top thereof withan inwardly extending flange 39, as shown in Fig. 3, and suitableinsulating material (not shown) can be installed in the cab inet as alining lying against or adjacent the inner surfaces of the side and endwalls and below the inwardly extending flange .39.

For forming the joint 27, the wall portions 35 and 3B are constructed soas to have overlapping edge portions 35a and 39a which are substantiallyidentical in shape with the overlapping edge portions l6 and H of Fig. 1and which carry hook elements 40 and 45 similar to the hook elements 20and 22 described above. The locking strip 28 comprises a flat metalstrip of single thickness and a longitudinal hook element 42 formed onone edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 8. The hook element 42 includes ahook recess 42a and a flange or tongue 4% adjacent thereto. When thelocking strip 28 is inserted between the overlapping portions 35a and95a to complete the joint 27, one edge of this strip engages in therecess of the hook element 4i and the hook element 42 of the stripengages the hook element 40 of the wall portion 35, as shown in Fig. 5of the drawing. a

Fig. 4 shows the joint 21 embodied in the Wall of a metal container 43.The side walls of the container 43 are formed by bending a single pieceof sheet metal to tubular form and shaping the adjacent ends 44 and 45thereof to constitute portions of the joint 21. The bottom 49 of thecontainer may be a separate sheet or panel which is soldered, welded orotherwise attached to the side wall structure after the joint 21 hasbeen formed.

Fig. 9 shows a joint 41 which is similar to the joints above described,but is of a somewhat simpler construction in regard to the locking strip48 used therein. In the joint 41 the sheets or wall members 49 and 50correspond with the sheets l4 and I5 of Fig. 1 and have overlapping edgeportions 5| and 52 which carry hook elements 53 and 54 and are ofsubstantially the same construction as the overlapping edge portions I 6and I! above described. The locking strip 48 is an elongated sheet metalstrip of a substantially Z-shaped cross-section. The ends of the Z shapeprovide the longitudinal flanges or tongues 48a and 4% extending alongopposite edges of the strip and the intermediate portion of the stripcorresponds with the inclined connecting web of the Z shape. When thelocking strip 48 is inserted between the overlapping edge portions 5|and 52 to complete the joint 41, the longitudinal tongues or flanges 48aand 48b engage in the recesses of the hook elements 53 and 54 and exertthe above explained spreading action thereon to draw the sheets 49 and50 together into relatively tight-fitting relation.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it willnow be readily understood that this invention provides an improved jointwhich can be economically constructed and assembled and which can beused to advantage in connecting sheets, panels and wall members 8without need for welding or mechanical fastening members and whichproduces a tightly joined wall construction having a desired flush orsmooth exterior surface. It will also be seen that the improved joint,While suitable for a great variety of connecting purposes, is especiallyuseful as a means for connecting wall panels used in buildingconstruction, and in connecting adjacent wall portions in fabricatingmetal cabinets, containers, and the like.

Although the improved joint construction of the present invention hasbeen illustrated and described herein in considerable detail, it will beunderstood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as beinglimited correspondingly in scope since it includes all changes andmodifications coming within the terms of the claim hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a joint of the chaiacter described, a pair of sheet metal sheetslying substantially in a common plane and having single thicknesslongitudinally continuous edge portions carrying longitudinallycontinuous hook elements, the hookcarrying edge portion of one sheetbeing offset from said common plane so as to form a longitudinallycontinuous shoulder spaced from the hook element of said one sheet andthe hookcarrying edge portion of the other sheet overlapping th-e ofisetportion and having the exterior of its hook element in longitudinallycontinuous substantially abutting engagement with said shoulder, thehook element of said other sheet lying substantially in said commonplane and the hook element of said one sheet being offset from saidcommon plane, the hook elements of the overlapping edge portions beingspaced apart and having longitudinally continuous hook recesses openingtoward each other between the overlapping edge portions, and a sheetmetal locking strip of substantially Z-shaped cross-section disposedbetween said overlapping edge portions and having its oppositelongitudinal edge portions engaged in said hook recesses, said lookingstrip being insertable endwise between the overlapped portions and beingof a width such that its opposite edge portions exert a spreading actionagainst said hook elements for holding said shoulder of said one sheetand the exterior of the hook element of the other sheet in said abuttingengagement.

LEE B. GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,213,519 Faber Sept. 3, 19402,258,911 Skoko Oct. 14, 1941 2,377,702 Lindsay June 5, 1945 2,381,030Blackburn Aug. 7, 1945 2,393,770 Harvey Jan. 29, 1946 2,397,259I-Ialicki et a1 Mar. 26, 1946 2,449,292 Gillett et al Sept. 14, 1948FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 292,077 Germany May 24, 1916

